5 Steps to Fake-Clean Your House Like a Pro!

5 Steps to fake clean your home when guests are on their way | www.thegoodfamily.us

How to fake-clean your house quickly and pretend it always looks this way in 5 steps!

When you are having unexpected guests dropping by (in-laws, friends, colleagues) and your house looks normal (read: a mess) there are a few quick things you can do to improve its state of cleanliness without looking like you tried too hard. These are ranked in order of importance, so start at the top and work your way through. Also, only clean the rooms that your guests will see and completely ignore the others. Now is not the time to clean the vanity in the master bathroom or finally find the floor in the garage.

1.) Clear off surfaces of papers and clutter

We all have that random stack of junk mail sitting on the table. Maybe a dirty coffee cup on the desk. Whatever it is, do a quick sweep of the house, clearing off surfaces where you can. A dirty coffee cup looks less out of place in the kitchen sink than it does on a desk and that stack of mail can be tidied and sorted quickly. It’s amazing the difference you can make by just clearing surfaces.

2.) Tidy floors and furniture

If you’ve still got time after clearing the surfaces, then start on the floors and furniture. Pick up anything that doesn’t belong on the floor or tidy it so that it looks like it’s supposed to be there. Put your shoes by the door. Now, we’re not pulling out the vacuum or anything; we don’t have time for that. We’re just making it look tidier than it did before. Arrange the sofa pillows and fold the throws and blankets. Hang up the jacket that’s draped on the chair. Now your house looks a little more put together.

3.) Empty trash cans

If you can get to step two, you can definitely fit in step three. Empty your trash cans even if they’re not full. That tissue bin next to the couch makes you look sloppy; tie the bag and put a new bag in the bin. Empty the bathroom bin. I’m not sure if anyone will notice that one, but trust me, it’s worth the risk. Put it all in the kitchen bag and take it out to the garbage can. Not only is your house tidy, but now it’s free of garbage. And an empty garbage can looks so much better than a full one!

4.) Wipe down bathroom

Maybe the above only took you ten minutes… you’ve got time to do some actual cleaning! Grab your trusty spray cleaner of choice and start wiping down your bathroom. I always make sure to wipe down the mirror first, then the sink, and then the toilet in that order. That way, I’m only using one rag and I’m getting all the necessary spots, giving my guests a clean bathroom for their visit. Put out a fresh hand towel. Close the shower curtain, too. We don’t have time for that.

5.) Do something about those dishes

I promise this is the only thing you need to do in the kitchen. Load the dishwasher if you have one, empty the dish drainer if you don’t. Do something about the dishes to minimize their out-of-cabinet existence.

Now, breathe. Go back to the bathroom and make sure you don’t look frazzled. If your guests still haven’t arrived, casually stroll around the house, fixing things, cleaning things, tidying things. The worst is over so everything else is just a bonus.

What are your tips for quick cleaning for unexpected guests? Leave a comment down below, sharing your cleaning secrets!